Method for the fabrication of rings for a watch dial

ABSTRACT

A method for the fabrication of rings or the like possessing decorative or indicator symbols or figures, for instance hour symbols or figures for small watches, which method comprises the steps of producing at least one substantially ring-shaped groove at the base of a metallic ring member, which base is hidden from the observer of the watch or article. Then at least one electrically non-conductive material is applied in such groove or grooves, and thereafter at the locations of the ring member where the symbols or figures are to be produced on the surface of such ring member which is disposed opposite the groove or grooves there is performed a material removal operation in order to expose the aforementioned electrically non-conductive material.

United States Patent Feller [451 July 11, 1972 [54] METHOD FOR THE FABRICATION OF RINGS FOR A WATCH DIAL [72] Inventor: Gilbert Feller, Le Locle, Switzerland [73] Assignee: Metaleln S. A., Le Locle. Switzerland [22] Filed: Oct. 12, I970 [2| 1 Appl. No: 79,778

{30] Foreign Appllcntlon Priority Data Oct. I4, 1969 Switzerland .l5353/69 [52] US. Cl. ..29/l77, 58/127 R [5| Int. Cl. 4 ..B23p 13/00, 604!) l9/06 [58] FleldofSearch ..58/l27R, 126R; 29/177,423,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,433,013 3/1969 569 1 ..ss/|27 R FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLlCATlONS 566,2") 8/1957 ltaly ..29/l 77 345,850 5/1960 Switzerland ..29/177 Primary Examiner-Richard B; Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-Stanley A. We] Anome v-Werner W. Kleeman s'n ABSTRACT A method for the fabrication of rings or the like possessing decorative or indicator symbols or figures, for instance hour symbols or figures for small watches, which method comprises the steps of producing at least one substantially ring-shaped groove at the base of a metallic ring member, which base is hidden from the observer of the watch or article. Then at least one electrically non-conductive material is applied in such groove or grooves, and thereafter at the locations of the ring member where the symbols or figures are to be produced on the surface of such nng member which is disposed opposite the groove or grooves there is performed a material removal operation in order to expose the aforementioned electrically non-conductive material.

llClnlms,3DrawlngFlgures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention broadly relates to a new and improved method for the fabrication of rings or ring members possessing decorative or indicating markings, for instance hour symbols or figures for small watches, and further pertains to ring members fabricated in accordance with the aforesaid inventive method and possessing decorative or indicating markings. The term "markings" as used in the context of this application is intended to generally denote different types of symbols, figures, indicia, adornments, or the like which may possess decorative and/or functional purposes.

Now rings of the aforementioned broad classification can be either applied to the dial of a small watch and provided with decorative markings serving purely for ornamentation, or additionally or exclusively can possess hour symbols or figures or other type of indicating or functional markings. Furthermore, such rings can be constructed as bezels for a watch casing which are mounted to be rotatable or stationary upon the case and carry decorative and/or indicating markings. Such rotatable bezels are particularly commonplace in divers watches and chronographs.

With the heretofore known prior art fabrication techniques, especially those utilized for the fabrication of dials for small watches, the possibilities of varying the appearance of the finished-worked dial, the so-called "terminated" dial are automatically limited, on the one hand, for the dial plate itself and, on the other hand, for the markings and symbols or the like, by virtue of the fabrication operations to which these components are subjected. This observation has particular applicability in the case of dials wherein the plate formed of metal has been provided with a coating by virtue of a galvanic treatment, for instance, a coating formed of silver or gold, and wherein subsequently this coating must be protected by application of a protective layer, typically formed of varnish.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, there is a real need in the art for an improved method for the fabrication of rings equipped with decorative or functional markings which is not associated with the aforementioned limitations presently existing in the art. Hence, a primary objective of this invention is to capably and economically fulfill this existing need.

Another and more specific object of the present invention relates to the development of a simple and relatively inexpensive method of equipping a ring member with markings clearly discernible from the remainder of such ring member.

Yet a further important and specific object of the present invention relates to a simple and relatively inexpensive method for the fabrication, for instance, of metallic dials or watch cases of a small watch so as to possess zones and portions which, after the fabrication thereof, are quite clearly and explicitly distinguishable from the remaining metallic portions of the dial plate, and wherein such fabrication techniques can be utilized without changing or complicating the conventional manufacturing operations, especially for the manufacture of dials.

Still a further object of the present invention concerns itself with improving the manufacturing economies and operational techniques for ring-shaped articles, typically those used in the watch industry, and equipped with suitable markings, whether they be solely for decorative purposes, functional purposes or both.

Now, in order to implement these and still further objects of the invention, which will become more readily apparent as the description proceeds, the inventive method for the fabrication of rings with such markings contemplates that initially one or a number of ring-shaped grooves are produced at the base of a metallic ring which is hidden from the observer of the article, typically a watch. Then at least one electrically non-conductive material is applied into such groove or grooves, and

thereafter a material removal operation is performed at the locations of the surface of the ring situated opposite the groove or grooves and at which the marks are to be produced, in order to render visible or exposed the aforementioned material inserted in such groove or grooves. The above-noted material removal step to which the surface of the metallic ring or ring member is subjected can be, for instance, accomplished by carrying out a radial milling operation, but other techniques for metal or material removal are equally contemplated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above, will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawing wherein:

FIG. I is a fragmentary perspective view of a peripheral ring or ring member produced according to the inventive method and secured to a dial plate and possessing hour symbols or figures; and

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate in a manner analogous to the showing of FIG. 1, additional embodiments of ring members equipped with suitable markings and produced in accordance with the inventive method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Describing now the drawing, and explaining the invention there will be assumed that initially there is provided a ring or ring member 8 which, in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, may possess a substantially trapezoidal cross-sectional configuration, and in the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3 as indicated by the phantom lines, possesses a rectangular or approximately rectangular cross-sectional configuration. Now with the exemplary embodiment of ring member 8 shown in FIG. 1, there is initially formed at the base, that is to say, the undersurface of such ring member 8, namely the surface which is not visible to the observer of the article, one circularshaped groove 9. On the other hand, at the corresponding base of the ring members 8 of the arrangements of FIGS. 2 and 3 there are formed two such circular-shaped grooves 9a and 9b. Upon completion of the grooving of the base of each respective ring member 8 there is then applied into such grooves 9, 9a, 9b a suitable electrically non-conductive material 2. This material 2 may be, for instance, a thermosetting plastic. Moreover, if such electrically non-conductive material is in a pasty condition it can be applied into the groove or grooves 9, 9a, 9b with the aid of a spatula or any other suitable tool or can even by sprayed into such groove or grooves and permitted to harden therein. A further possibility would be to form a bar or rod of this electrically non-conductive material 2, which may be for instance plastic or a suitable precious stone material, and which possesses the form of the groove itself, the bar or rod afier having been separately formed then subsequently being pressed into the space formed by its receiving-groove 9, 9a, 9b.

Thereafter, use is made of an appropriate material-removal tool for machining or otherwise working the locations of the surface of the ring member 8 situated opposite the groove or grooves 9, 9a, and 96 at which the markings are to be produced, material removal being accomplished until the electrically non-conductive material 2 within the grooves is visible. To elucidate this point further, it will be observed that in the embodiments depicted in FIGS. 1 to 3 inclusive, at the corresponding ring member 8 there are formed radially extending recesses or milled slots 10 at the locations of the surface of each such ring member 8 where the markings, here assumed to be hour symbols, are to appear. These recesses or slots 10 are of sufiicient depth to expose at least portions of the non-conductive material 2 which during such machining operation can be likewise processed. As a result, the hour symbols thusly formed at the corresponding ring member 8 due to the appearance of the material 2 are clear and distinguishable from the remaining portions of the associated ring member 8 After this machining operation or processing step, but if desired, also prior thereto, the ring member 8, in the event it is intended to serve as the peripheral ring for a dial, can be secured by means of any standard well known technique to a dial plate 5, for instance by welding or adhesively bonding such ring member thereto. In this connection, attention is invited to FIG. 1 showing the ring member 8 mounted at a dial plate 5.

The thus produced dial can thereafter be finished in accordance with any one of the known or clasical techniques, that is to say, can be finally fabricated or terminated." These classical manufacturing techniques generally constitute a galvanic treatment by means of which a layer of a metal is applied or deposited on the polished surface of the metallic dial. Of course, it should be readily apparent that in the case of the exemplary embodiment this final treatment only is efiective upon those portions of the dial structure which are electrically conductive whereas the remaining portions, especially the material 2 where it appears at the surface of the dial structure, will be indeed exposed to such treatment but will not receive any coating layer or deposit. The location at which the material 2 appears, therefore, after the final treatment of the surface of the dial plate and without having to be especially machined or recessed, posesses an appearance which, both because of the surface qualities as well as, under circumstances, because of the color, clearly differentiates from the remaining metallic portions of the dial.

The structure of the ring 8 of FIG. 3 differs from the corresponding ring 8 of FIG. 1 only insofar as here two grooves 90, 9b for receiving electrically non-conductive material are provided at the original rectangular cross-sectional configuration of such metallic ring member. Furthermore, in this atrangement there is advantageously provided for both grooves 90, 9b electrically non-conductive material of different color and/or surface properties.

The embodiment of FIG. 2 particularly illustrates how it is possible by utilizing a different machining or working operation at a ringshaped work piece equipped with grooves 9a, 9b for receiving electrically non-conductive material 2 to obtain a ring member which appears to the observer as three independent concentric rings, of which the central ring consists of a different material.

Of course, the markings, which result through the materialremoval operations to which the ring member is subjected and by virtue of which the material 2 becomes visible, can enjoy, instead of an indicating function as is the case for hour symbols or figures, also purely a decorative function. In such case, the actual hour symbols could be fabricated in a conventional fashion separately of the ring member itself and could then be applied to such or to the dial plate in the form of applied chapters. Furthermore, it is even possible for such markings to have both decorative and functional purposes.

Additionally, it should be readily understood that the ring members equipped with markings in the aforedescribed manner may not only serve, as is the case with the arrangement of FIG. I, as peripheral rings for dial plates, but also can be used as rotatable or non-rotatable bezel rings which are intended to be secured internally or externally of the casing of a small watch. In particular, such rings can be used as rotatable or non-rotatable bezels, with the machined-out electrically non-conductive material forming the decoration of the watch case, or however, such can be provided with suitable indicating markings for the user as is the case with the rotatable bezels found in divers watches.

Although in the previously explained embodiments only a single electrically non-conductive material 2 was applied to each groove 9, 9a, 9b, a whole series of further possibilities exists if there is utilized a number of different electrically nonconductive materials in the individual grooves.

It is particularly possible, for the manufacture of dials having luminescent markings, to proceed in such a fashion that initially a transparent material is deposited into the groove or grooves and thereafter a layer of a material is applied which contains a phosphorescent or luminescent substance, for instance tritium.

The surface of the ring member 8 situated opposite such groove or grooves is then machined to such a depth that the transparent material which is located directly beneath the metallic material of the ring becomes visible. The phosphorescent mass likewise then becomes visible through the transparent material without the danger existing that the phosphorescent mass itself will be contacted during the material-removal operations or machining. in practice, there are quite strict regulations concerning the use of tritium and these regulations do not permit fabricating a ring in accordance with the inventive method in an economically feasible manner if only a phosphorescent material containing tritium is used for the mass 2. Yet, by introducing a transparent intermediate layer, these objectives can be, however, effectively realized.

ln the same manner it would be possible to initially apply into the groove or grooves 9, 9a, 9b of the metallic ring member 8 a transparent mass of lacquer material or varnish and to metalize the base of such mass of material, in other words the surface confronting the opening of the associated groove. Apart from the technological advantages of the described method which reside in the aspects that for the attachment of the described ring to a dial plate it is possible to utilize the simplier and less sensitive techniques which have been developed for the fabrication of plastic dials without hav ing to dispense with the use of metal, as well as there being afforded the use of the possibilities provided by the finishing operations for the conventional metallic dials during the fabrication of fancy or luxury dials, the inventive technique also renders possible the fabrication of dials with a heretofore unknown aspect wherein the dials provided with decorations and markings whose appearance and, especially their color, are clearly discernable from the remaining portions of the dial.

The workings of dials which have been fabricated by utilizing the inventive method can be remotely compared with previously used dials possessing enamel decorations which, however, because of the expense encountered in manufacturing such prior art enamel-decorated dials have nowadays practically disappeared from the market.

The embodiments of the invention illustrated in the drawing clearly depict a number of the inventive aspects which can be realized by the herein described method aspects.

A further advantage of the described inventive method, which has not yet been mentioned, resides in the fact that the material 2 which differs from the remaining portions of the dial does not protrude past the metallic portions. Such however would be, for instance, the case with stamped or transferred markings, since these last-mentioned markings are only applied at the last moment, in other words, after the final machining or working of the dial inclusive of the application of the protective coating. Hence, such subsequently applied markings automatically protrude past the surface of the dial plate by the amount of their thickness. An essential advantage of the inventive method is particularly recognized in the fact that it enables the fabrication of dials with metallic dial plates possessing indicating or decorative markings of difi'erent color, and wherein these markings can be produced prior to the finishing operations of the metallic components because such markings, owing to their inherent electrically non-conductive character, do not respond to the conventional galvanic treatment to which the metallic plate is subjected during the course of its being finished fabricated.

While there is shown and described present preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following clairns. ACCORDINGLY,

What is claimed is:

l. A method for the fabrication of rings possessing decorative or functional markings for an article, for instance the hour symbols of watches, comprising the steps of:

a. forming at least one substantially ring-shaped groove at the base of a metallic ring member, which base is not visible to the observer of the article;

b. depositing at least one electrically non-conductive material in such groove; and

c. then removing material from the surface of the ring member at those locations thereof to be equipped with the markings until exposing at least given portions of the electrically non-conductive material.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of removing material from the surface of the ring member is undertaken by performing a radially directed milling operation.

3. The method as defined in claim 2, wherein the radially directed milling operation produces radially extending slots across the full width of said ring member to expose material in at least one groove.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, including the step of subsequently attaching the thus produced ring member as a peripheral ring to a dial plate.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, including the step of attaching the thus produced ring member as a bezel for a watch casing.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, including the step of attaching the thus produced ring member on a watch face as a support for further hour markings.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, including the step of attaching the thus produced ring member as a decorative ring for the casing of a small watch.

8. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein a liter mosetting plastic is filled into each groove and provides said ring member with said at least one electrically non-conductive material.

9. The method as defined in claim 1, further including the step of depositing into each groove in succession two different electrically non-conductive materials.

10. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the first material deposited into the groove is a transparent mass, and thereafter the remaining space of such groove is filled with a phosphorescent material providing the second material, and then the material removal step is undertaken only until exp0sing the transparent mass and without contacting the phosphorescent material.

11. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the first material introduced into the groove is a transparent mass formed of electrically non-conductive material and thereafter the base of this mass is metalized.

t i I! i I! 

1. A method for the fabrication of rings possessing decorative or functional markings for an article, for instance the hour symbols of watches, comprising the steps of: a. forming at least one substantially ring-shaped groove at the base of a metallic ring member, which base is not visible to the observer of the article; b. depositing at least one electrically non-conductive material in such groove; and c. then removing material from the surface of the ring member at those locations thereof to be equipped with the markings until exposing at least given portions of the electrically nonconductive material.
 2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of removing material from the surface of the ring member is undertaken by performing a radially directed milling operation.
 3. The method as defined in claim 2, wherein the radially directed milling operation produces radially extending slots across the full width of said ring member to expose material in at least one groove.
 4. The method as defined in claim 1, including the step of subsequently attaching the thus produced ring member as a peripheral ring to a dial plate.
 5. The method as defined in claim 1, including the step of attaching the thus produced ring member as a bezel for a watch casing.
 6. The method as defined in claim 1, including the step of attaching the thus produced ring member on a watch face as a support for further hour markings.
 7. The method as defined in claim 1, including the step of attaching the thus produced ring member as a decorative ring for the casing of a small watch.
 8. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein a thermosetting plastic is filled into each groove and provides said ring member with said at least one electrically non-conductive material.
 9. The method as defined in claim 1, further including the step of depositing into each groove in succession two different electrically non-conductive materials.
 10. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the first material deposited into the groove is a transparent mass, and thereafter the remaining space of such groove is filled with a phosphorescent material providing the second material, and then the material removal step is undertaken only untIl exposing the transparent mass and without contacting the phosphorescent material.
 11. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the first material introduced into the groove is a transparent mass formed of electrically non-conductive material and thereafter the base of this mass is metalized. 